Glasgow gets set to introduce tourist tax, congestion charge and work place parking levy

Glasgow City Council backed investing £2 million to prepare for a rollout of tourist tax, congestion charge and work place parking levy.

A team is to be created to look at getting a business case ready and consultation on the plans to bring in cash to the city. It was agreed as part of the Glasgow City Council budget today – voted through by the SNP and Scottish Greens.

City treasurer councillor Ricky Bell said the budget “puts in place the opportunity for those (plans) to be brought to fruition.”

He said: a team will be “created to project manage this work and set up a political oversight group” to monitor progress.

He said “it will raise additional income from others who come to our city who are not Glaswegians will allow us to be able to spend better and improve our city.”

The decision came alongside a range of £107.7 million council cuts and savings presented at the chambers  over the next three years.

An increase in parking charges in car parks and streets to generate more than £8 million and increasing the cost of secondary school meals by 10p to £2.10 were some of the changes.

Council tax has been frozen. The budget was set for the next three years.

It was also agreed to spend £423,000 on rolling out further the bin hubs, which has already been introduced in Pollokshields.

The council decided to spend £1.7 million of revenue funding to bring heritage buildings back into use.

Labour politicians presented an alternative budget, which proposed creating a renewable energy project and investing £6 million on roads and parks, but could not convince enough opposition councillors to back their plans.